National Spay Day 2011

The mission: spay/neuter 80 animals in the span of one day. The pay: Feeling good and experience.

Today was national spay day. For our practice, two of our doctors and several staff members partnered with the SPCA here to spay (or neuter), microchip, and vaccinate 80 animals. There were other doctors there of course (our doctors are awesome, but that would be a challenge to do it with just two) and other volunteers. One of my co-workers and I teamed up to induce one pet after another to anesthesia and prep them for surgery. What does that mean? Giving them a sedative in the vain in their leg, putting a breathing tube in, clipping their nails (not necessary for but helpful since they are sound asleep), shaving and scrubbing the surgery site.

One surgery suite.



Second surgery suite. The two doctors are from our practice, DE (near) and DTC (far). So are the two technicians, PM (near) and SB2 (far).

As of today, I knew how to do...none of those. By the end of the day, I was able to assist on all of the above. My co-worker and I became a well-oiled machine. I gave the oral pain medication then restrained for the IV stick. My co-worker stuck then I held the patient's mouth open for intubation. Once intubated, we would turn the patient over and I would start shaving the belly while my co-worker would clip the nails. I would scrub the belly and one of us would give a morphine injection.

And while we waited for a table to open up, we could watch the feline neuters. They're so fast and simple, one doctor could do five of them in less than half an hour.

My co-worker would carry the patient to surgery and we would tie down the legs, hook the pet up to oxygen and anesthetic, and open the surgery pack. Then we'd back out, and start over. I lost count of how many dogs and cats we did (cats were much easier because they already had a heavy sedative). A lot. We were a swell team and my co-worker was excessively patient and willing to teach. So were my other co-workers who I saw far less of throughout the day. We all had a place in the busy hive.

Dog spay.



This is what a cat's uterus and ovaries are supposed to look like. The images of the hydrometra are below and are not for the weak of stomach.

I watched a neuter from start to finish. Guys, look away. It really is like watching someone pop a pimple. I watched a spay from start to finish and saw some unique things. Like cryptorchid neuters (where one testicle is still inside the abdomen somewhere), hernias, and hydrometra in a cat (where the uterus is full of water). The doctors from our practice were willing to explain what I was watching and I am extremely grateful to them for their patience as well. I learned how to microchip as well (more simple than a lot of the other things I learned today but still useful).

I was watching DTC do a spay on a cat when we heard an amazed gasp from someone next to DE. This is why. The uterus here is enlarged with fluid. We do not know why.



It's pretty cool looking and I watched DE work on this for quite awhile.



These blood vessels are awesome! Can't see them on a normal uterus. Only the distended ones!

Overall, the day was extremely successful. Not a terrible way to spend a day off. Thanks again to everyone!

FFR